“What can I say?  I was floundering about, wondering where to even start or how I could get a group of people together to honor and celebrate Pete’s life in the way and to the degree he deserved.

I was so very sad and feeling lost – and afraid that I would come away from the ceremony disappointed that it didn’t measure up to all that Pete was to me and to so many others.

And then you came along with your magic gift of encouraging me to share my heart with you so we could work together in perfect harmony and bring to light the full dimension of who Pete was. You said that all you wanted was the best for me – and you really meant it.”

~ Bless you, M.L

“Thank you for a beautiful service, Steve. You truly honored dad in a glorious way that made all in attendance feel like one big family. We will never forget your kindness and the way you made everyone feel comfortable to participate.”

~ Lisa D.

“Steve, I loved the way you brought people into the experience, and made them feel like their participation mattered.”

~ Jim B.

“Steve, The service was exactly what I had hoped for, and beyond. I left feeling good and uplifted and comforted. And I know that Charlie would have approved.

Thank you again for listening and really hearing what we said. It is greatly appreciated.”

~ Sincerely, Sue

“Steve, I want to say Thank You for helping us celebrate my son. You put Nick’s “life story” together in a beautiful way, almost as if you knew him yourself. Even though our hearts were crushed, the way you spoke of Nick brought the joy and happiness we all needed to remember. It was a great pleasure to celebrate his life rather than mourning his death. Please feel free to use my reply as a testimonial and know that I would recommend you to family or friends that may be in need of your service.”

~ Sincerely, Jo Anne

“Dear Steve, Thank you for doing such an amazing job at Zach’s Celebration of Life.  I am so grateful for the way you honored him with such integrity.”

~ Victoria

“Steve, I want to thank you once again for the beautiful memorial you helped us co-create for my mom.  Your willingness to help us pull the ceremony together on very short notice (on Easter weekend, no less!) was also nothing short of heroic!

What strikes me to this day is the way you helped us discover what was important to remember and celebrate about her life. You asked some very simple questions that opened up volumes and you did so in such a comfortable manner. It was very reassuring to be able to laugh, cry and speak freely during such an emotional time.  You helped to make that happen.  You really did.

You helped us immeasurably to paint a sweeping picture of B’s life, and since she was an avid painter, I can’t think of a more fitting tribute.”

~ Paul F

“We hired Steve to meet with my mother, as she was losing her memory but could recall her past and we wanted to capture it. It gave her great joy in telling her story, and soon thereafter, she was given a three-chapter printed collection of the stories she shared. It will also be nice to have Steve do my mother’s eulogy when the time comes, because he actually got to know her. I am convinced that everyone has a story to tell.”

P.S… My mother thinks he wrote a book about her and it’s available in book stores!

~ Linda 

“Dear Steve, I want to let you know how grateful I am for the ceremony you put together for Bob. I was totally amazed how after the brief conversations we had, you were able to capture the essence of Bob, his character and life. All the people who watched (via Live Stream) from coast to coast were very pleased and impressed. It was even seen in Wales!

I just watched it again, and of course, it made me cry, but it was a good cry. Your service was as much a gift to me as it was for Bob. Thank you for giving him such a wonderful send-off.”

~ Laraine

“When my father, Kendal resident David R. Dunlop, passed away in 2023, I knew that not only did his life need to be celebrated in a way that captured the essence of his character, but that the story of his tremendous legacy needed to be told, and told well. My mother and I both felt that a traditional funeral was not appropriate as a means to celebrate the exceptional life that he had lived. Rather, we wanted a celebration that would allow those who loved him to come together and remember this extraordinary man who had left his mark, so indelibly, on all of us.

When we found Steve Lawrence and Real Life Ceremonies, we knew that we had found the right person to help us achieve all that we had envisioned for Dad’s Celebration of Life. Steve met with my mother and me and listened as we recounted stories of Dad’s life, his career as fundraiser at Cornell, his background as a decorated collegiate athlete, his impact on many non-profit organizations in the community, and the loving kindness that he demonstrated to his cherished friends and to his family.

Steve distilled the many sentiments that we relayed into an exceptionally heartwarming eulogy that perfectly captured Dad’s essence. He not only officiated over the entire ceremony, but he also guided us through the process of designing the celebration so that it set exactly the tone that we desired.”

~ Lauren Schler

“Steve made our wedding a day to remember.  His personal touch mixed with his witty sense of humor made the ceremony something we will never forget.  While our families grew up with Steve, he still took the time to meet with us to ensure the ceremony was focused completely on our story.”

~ Sarah and John Lisak

“Steve made our wedding ceremony perfect! He took the time to get to know us and sought out the details that made our ceremony so personal. Steve wants to make sure he tells the story of your unique love and we were so happy to have him there to do it!”

~ Bobbie and Casey Kuhlman

“Steve… Laura and I wanted to say a huge thank you. You did a splendid job.

I can’t imagine we could have done this without you.  You were invaluable and most people’s feedback was that they thought you KNEW David from before. They were surprised to learn that you had gleaned his character so well from notes and from meeting with us. Congrats to you for this special skill.”

~ Bev R.

“Not only is Steve a gifted storyteller, but he takes the time to meet with family members to create a truly personalized story of someone’s life.  His skill in connecting details through his writing is matched by his ability to genuinely connect with his audience.  I highly recommend Steve to anyone searching for a skilled Celebrant.”

~ Kyle Sharp
Lansing Funeral Home

“I have been working with Steve for several years and no matter what the circumstances are surrounding a death he has a natural ability to provide families comfort and peace. He takes his time talking with family members to create services that are custom tailored and personalized to each individual.

Steve is kind, empathetic, genuine, and easy to work with. I often get compliments from family and friends attending services about the service he provides being the nicest and most personal ceremonies that they have experienced. I cannot recommend his services highly enough.”

~ Alison Weaver
Ness Sibley Funeral Home

“I have been a Funeral Director for over 20 years, and I have heard thousands of funeral services delivered by well-trained and skilled clergy, and in February of 2019, I was introduced to Steve Lawrence (a Certified Funeral Celebrant and the owner of Real Life Ceremonies). Steve’s process of meeting with families (whom he has often never met) and collecting stories is just a part of his genius. From that interview, he drafts an incredible story of their loved one’s life, and when he officiates the Celebration of Life ceremony, it exemplifies his brilliance as a writer and a Celebrant. Steve’s relaxed approach always leaves all that attend comforted and inspired by the celebration.”

~ Joe Bowers
Funeral Director, Perkins Funeral Home & Bangs Funeral Home

“Over the past several years, Steve Lawrence has assisted many families by officiating a Celebration of Life ceremony at the funeral home I own and operate.  In most cases, Steve has never met the person that has passed, or the family of the deceased, yet he is able to prepare a service that is personable, singular and fitting for the occasion.

“Steve has the ability to meet with a family at a difficult time and gather the moments of a life, then put it all together to share with others.  Families have shared with me afterwards that “Steve shared the stories of our loved one when we were too heartbroken to do it ourselves.”

“Steve expressed his gratitude for all the referrals, and I told him, ‘Believe me, when a family tells me how much they appreciated the fact that a service was just what they were hoping for, that helps me too.”

~ Shawn A. Fahey
Funeral Director, Estey Munroe & Fahey Funeral Home

“Genuine, compassionate, friendly, smart, humorous…….Steve is all of these and much more.  His ability to articulate your loved ones’ life story is a gift you will be forever grateful for.”

~ Lisa Auble
Funeral Director, Lansing Funeral Home

“Steve brings a combination of sincerity and compassion to his gift of storytelling.  He is truly able to ‘Honor a Life,’ and we would highly recommend his talents.” 

~ David and Carol Cooley
Funeral Directors, MacPherson Funeral Home